Through Sheer Grit

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Finally, after a terrible year, through sheer grit, he has not only survived, he has begun to make a return to his old life.

The phrase "sheer grit" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to express admiration for someone's tenacity or determination in the face of adversity.

grit
(gr;t IPA Pronunciation Guide)
Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense grits, present participle gritting, past tense, past participle gritted
1. UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
Grit is very small pieces of stone. It is often put on roads in winter to make them less slippery.
He felt tiny bits of grit and sand peppering his knees. [+ of]
Synonyms: gravel, sand, dust, pebbles   More Synonyms of grit
2. UNCOUNTABLE NOUN
If someone has grit, they have the determination and courage to continue doing something even though it is very difficult.
You've got to admire her grit.
3. PLURAL NOUN
Grits are coarsely ground grains of corn which are cooked and eaten for breakfast or as part of a meal in the southern United States.
[US]

4. VERB
If you grit your teeth, you press your upper and lower teeth tightly together, usually because you are angry about something.
Gritting my teeth, I did my best to stifle one or two remarks. [VERB noun]
'It is clear that my client has been less than frank with me,' he said, through gritted teeth. [VERB-ed]
Synonyms: clench, grind, grate, gnash   More Synonyms of grit
5.  See to grit your teeth
More Synonyms of grit


Synonyms of
'grit'

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Synonyms of
'grit'
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Word Frequency    
grit
in British English
(;r;t IPA Pronunciation Guide)
NOUN
1. small hard particles of sand, earth, stone, etc
2.  Also called: gritstone
any coarse sandstone that can be used as a grindstone or millstone
3. the texture or grain of stone
4.  indomitable courage, toughness, or resolution
5.  engineering
an arbitrary measure of the size of abrasive particles used in a grinding wheel or other abrasive process
VERB
Word forms: grits, gritting or gritted
6. to clench or grind together (two objects, esp the teeth)
7. to cover (a surface, such as icy roads) with grit
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Derived forms
gritless (;gritless) ADJECTIVE
Word origin
Old English gr;ot; related to Old Norse grj;t pebble, Old High German grioz; see great, groats, gruel
Word Frequency    
Grit
in British English
(;r;t IPA Pronunciation Guide)
NOUN, ADJECTIVE Canadian
an informal word for Liberal
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency    
grit
in American English
(gr;t)
NOUN
1.  rough, hard particles of sand, stone, etc.
2.  the texture of stone, with regard to the fineness or coarseness of its grain
3.  any of several sandstones with large, sharp grains, often used for grindstones
4.  US
stubborn courage; brave perseverance; pluck
VERB TRANSITIVE
Word forms: ;gritted or ;gritting
5.  to cover with grit
6.  US
to clench or grind (the teeth) in anger or determination
VERB INTRANSITIVE
7.  to make a grating sound
SIMILAR WORDS:  ;fortitude
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
with Early ModE vowel shortening < ME grete < OE greot, akin to Ger griess IE base *ghr;u-, to rub hard over, crumble > great
Word Frequency    
grit
in American English
(;r;t) (verb gritted, gritting)
NOUN
1. abrasive particles or granules, as of sand or other small, coarse impurities found in the air, food, water, etc
2. firmness of character; indomitable spirit; pluck
She has a reputation for grit and common sense
3. a coarse-grained siliceous rock, usually with sharp, angular grains
4. Brit
gravel
5. sand or other fine grainy particles eaten by fowl to aid in digestion
TRANSITIVE VERB
6. to cause to grind or grate together
INTRANSITIVE VERB
7. to make a scratchy or slightly grating sound, as of sand being walked on; grate
8.  See grit one's teeth
SYNONYMS
2. resolution, fortitude, courage.
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019 by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Derived forms
gritless ADJECTIVE
gritter NOUN
Word origin
[bef. 1000; ME gret, griet, grit, OE gr;ot; c. G Griess, ON grj;t pebble, boulder; see grits]
Examples of 'grit' in a sentence
grit
 These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content that does not reflect the opinions or policies of Collins, or its parent company HarperCollins.
We welcome feedback: report an example sentence to the Collins team. Read more…
So he gritted his teeth and got on with it.
The Guardian (2015)
But she gritted her teeth and took the set.
The Guardian (2015)
This will get rid of all the grit.
The Guardian (2015)
You may need to dig grit around the olive before you plant anything else.
The Guardian (2016)
So much of my career has been about diligence and grit.
The Guardian (2021)
Use your fingers to loosen any grit or sand and discard any that remain open.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
He also added grit to his long list of attributes.
The Sun (2008)
Not just real grit, but figurative grit.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
It is a tough and uncompromising landscape, open country contrasting with millstone grit and the legacy of centuries of industrial exploitation.
Atterbury, Paul Exploring Britain's Canals (1994)
Instead, rinse the car with a gentle hosepipe spray and apply good car shampoo designed to lift dirt or grit off the surface.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)

grit
rock